MIT Student-Athlete Blogs from the NCAA Tournament

The MIT men’s cross country team left the 2012 New England
Regional Championship a bit disappointed. We finished in
9th place out of 50 teams. Our trip began on Friday
afternoon, as we set out for Westfield, MA. The team first stopped
at the course to do a quick meet warm up and then shower in our
hotel before dinner. By 9:30 Saturday morning, the team was on the
way to the meet. The men’s 8k race was set to go off at 11.
MIT was assigned box 49, far on the right side of starting line.
This box was both a blessing and a curse. Our box was good because
we were away from the middle of the starting line, which meant that
our team could stay out of the trouble from the 351 runners who
competed in our race. The box was undesirable because about 300
meters in, there was a sharp right turn. If we were not careful,
our entire team could get pinned on the inside of the turn, forced
to slow down and potentially tripped up early in the race. So our
men planned to get out fairly hard and to drift left before the
turn, to avoid being pinched off. As always, there was something
special about this big cross-country meet. Hundreds of fans lined
the course, covered in body paint, chanting with their team’s
flag. MIT had a decent-sized contingent of cheerers that made the
two-hour drive up to the course. Finally the starter
brought all of the runners to the starting line. And then the gun
went off, and MIT flew off the line, making sure that we avoided
being cut off by the stampede of runners. The plan worked almost to
perfection, with only one of our 7 runners having some trouble in
the turn.

After the race, our team waited around to find the results of
our race. But by simply looking at the faces of the MIT runners, I
could tell the race did not go well. The team goal was to qualify
for nationals. This more or less translated to having five
runners earn all region honors (top 35 finishers) with
two in the top 20. Only our number one runner, Roy, did so
–he finished in 27th place. With a lackluster
team performance, the cross country season was over for the men.
But the day was not done! Our women had yet to run, and not only
were they expected to make it to nationals, they were expected to
win. The ladies delivered, big time. They placed four runners in
the top twelve, and six of their seven runners earned all region
honors. As the women won, they looked completely in control. Not a
bad ending to a day that didn’t begin so well. The
men’s team left regionals knowing that we now have indoor
track season to look forward to, but it was dissapointing to leave
knowing that we did not run to our abilities. All we can do is use
this as fuel to drive us for the rest of the year and the future in
general.

Today began with a 'man-behind-the-plow' buffet breakfast which
was served up with a side of excitement as the team was chomping at
the bit to get out to the field this morning. After we finished off
our hearty meals, we had a little time to tend to our studies
before we boarded our beloved charter bus once more and headed for
William Smith. Nearly half an hour into the ride we could glimpse
the glistening surface of Lake Seneca and smell the sweet odor of
competition hanging in the air (or that might have been manure, but
we're not sure).

Once at William Smith, we spent a productive, intense, and,
albeit, hurried hour on the turf, honing our skills for tomorrow's
match. It was a slight adjustment from our field-turf to the astro,
but by the end of the hour, our moves and touches started to
coalesce nicely. The excitement for tomorrow's match became more
palpable as we left the field knowing the next time we set foot on
it, it would be game time.

Once we returned to our lodging accommodations, it became
apparent that we were not the only team in residence at the Holiday
Inn. Both squads from Tufts and Bowdoin also checked in today. The
staff had the good sense not to put us all on the same floor- not
that it matters, since we're all good sports, but it has made for a
few awkward run-ins at the coffee machine in the lobby. More time
this afternoon was spent finishing p-sets, papers, and studying for
tests- at least until dinner time. We loaded up on high-energy
carbs with a yummy spread of pasta while we kept tabs on the MIT
NCAA volleyball match from our phones (Great season, Girls!).
Following our dinner, the freshman entertained the team at our
annual talent show. This year's production featured Celtic dancing,
calisthenics, and card-counting.

After all the events of the day we went back to our rooms to
finish off work, relax, and get some sleep- knowing we have
prepared all season for this- every 'Fitness Monday' and 'Freshman
Talent Show' has brought us closer as a team and we are ready to
face whatever tomorrow brings.

Nor’easter Athena couldn’t put a damper on the
spirits of the MIT Field Hockey team yesterday. We were
packed and ready to resume our exciting journey to Geneva, NY and
the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Unfortunately, our trip started to a
shaky start-the DVD player was not working on the bus, which would
have made for a long. seven-hour voyage. After the problem was
rectified in the form of a new bus (which most of the team agreed
resembled the inside of an aircraft), we we’re off!

With a variety of plush pals, a squish-able dinosaur named
Janice among them, the team settled in for the long
drive. Some took the opportunity to catch up on some
sleep while others brought back their favorite road trip games,
like MASH. Some indulged in bus-time snacks
(LUNCHABLES!!!).

Fast forward a few hours and the viewing of two of the team's
favorite movies, we arrived at the Holiday Inn. After
exploring the hotel and recovering from the excitement of the
outdoor-themed indoor pool, we turned in for the night.

The team was nicely nestled, all snug in their beds. While
visions of championships danced in their heads.

Nov. 8, 2012
Our NCAA experience started today with a quick, one hour practice
where energy was high, and it was obvious everyone was excited for
this weekend. We had a fun apparel day, where some chose to sport
neon shirts and brightly colored spandex as a fun departure from
our usual down-to-business matching gray MIT Athletics shirts.
After having some time to pack up our stuff, we boarded the bus to
begin our trip to Connecticut. We made a quick pit stop for dinner,
where many of us chose to indulge in mac and cheese from Boston
Market, while others opted for fruit smoothies. Our bus ride
entertainment was in the form of a favorite chick flick for
basically any girl who was born in the 90s, “10 Things I Hate
About You.” This was probably the twentieth time seeing this
movie for most people, but we all enjoyed quoting every line, and
singing along to Cheap Trick’s, “I Want you to Want
Me.” After arriving at the wrong Holiday Inn, we
quickly hopped back on the bus and continued on to our actual
destination. Coach checked us in while everyone looked around
excitedly for a roommate for the weekend. Now we are all getting
settled into our rooms, and are scheduled to meet for our
continental breakfast at 9am, where we will decide on our
activities for tomorrow before the game.

Nov. 9, 2012

Our NCAA experience was cut short today with a tough loss to
UMass Boston. The day started out promising with breakfast in the
hotel with a bunch of the other teams participating in regionals.
However, it was slightly awkward waiting in line for the waffle
iron with some of our biggest rivals, namely Springfield. After
breakfast we had the afternoon to spend on our own. Some people on
our team took a shopping trip, and spent a few hours in the mall.
People came back with some bargain buys, as well as some impressive
shoes. We grabbed a quick lunch at the smallest Subway any of us
have ever been in, and then headed over to Connecticut College.

Upon arrival, we were all handed our NCAA badges, and we were
briefed on some NCAA procedures that are different from our normal
games. Our warm up felt solid, and we were all singing to the
throwback songs on the provided warm up CD. The lineups were
announced, and the game was underway. It was a hard fought match,
but unfortunately the outcome was not what we wanted. Our season
came to an end, and the seniors had their last game of college
volleyball. We shared some emotional moments in the team room as
the coaches gave feedback on the season, and the seniors reflected
on our unforgettable experiences we’ve had in our four years
spent with this program. It’s hard to deal with the end to
such a great season, but we are all so happy with what we have
accomplished, and even though the season is over, we are still have
our volleyball family.